Money in France

Currency Exchange in France

France uses the Euro (EUR), so travellers from other Eurozone countries (Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and the rest) need no exchange at all. For visitors converting from USD, GBP, AUD, CAD or other currencies, ATMs consistently offer the best rates. Dedicated exchange offices (bureaux de change) cluster in Paris around Opéra, Châtelet and the Champs-Élysées, but their commissions are steep and the pattern is reliable: the flashier the shopfront, the worse the rate. Banks will exchange currency but with limited hours and slow service. Avoid exchanging at Charles de Gaulle or Orly — airport rates are the worst you will find anywhere in the country. In cities outside Paris (Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice), exchange offices are rare and ATMs are the only practical option.

ATM Availability

ATMs (called 'distributeurs automatiques' or 'DAB') are everywhere in France — bank lobbies, shopping centres, train stations and even smaller towns. Major French banks include BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, La Banque Postale and CIC. ATMs at La Banque Postale, inside post offices, are a reliable fallback in rural areas where commercial banks may have no branch. Most machines accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro; American Express works at fewer of them. Daily withdrawal ceilings are set by the machine and by your own bank, so check both rather than assuming a figure. Always decline the 'conversion to your home currency' option (Dynamic Currency Conversion) — the rate offered is reliably worse than letting your own bank convert. Your home bank may also charge per international withdrawal; check for fee-free European ATM partnerships before you travel.

Card Acceptance

France is heavily card-oriented — Carte Bancaire (CB) is the national system, and virtually every payment terminal accepts Visa and Mastercard contactless. You can tap a card or phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay) at supermarkets, restaurants, cafés, pharmacies, metro ticket machines, toll booths and even most market stalls in cities. Some small shops and bakeries still set a minimum purchase for card payment, so check the sign at the till. American Express is accepted at hotels and upscale restaurants but refused at many smaller businesses. Cash remains useful for weekly village markets, some boulangeries, tipping, small purchases at tabacs (tobacconists), parking meters in rural towns, and the occasional café still running a cash-only till. A modest amount in small notes alongside your cards covers any gaps.

Tipping Customs

Tipping in France is genuinely optional — the service charge (service compris) is included in all restaurant bills by law, and there is no expectation of the percentages customary in North America. Leaving a little for good service is nonetheless appreciated: rounding up the bill at a casual restaurant, something more at a finer establishment, and in cafés the standard gesture is simply leaving the coins from your change on the saucer. The same small-and-situational logic covers hotel porters, taxi drivers, guides, housekeeping and hairdressers — there are no fixed rates, so judge it by the service received. One practical point worth knowing: always tip in cash even when you pay the bill by card, because cash tips go directly to the staff.